The present invention is directed to a custom ceiling louver assembly comprised of four cellular die-cast aluminum ceiling tiles interconnected along adjacent sides to define a ceiling unit with a plurality of ceiling units being interconnected and suspended by means of a hanger assembly engaging complementary projecting tab portions at the adjacent corners of four contiguous units, and more specifically, to the specific hanger assemblies and connecting means for adjacent tiles.
A similar ceiling louver assembly is disclosed in Japanese patent 51-16579 granted May 4, 1976. In the ceiling louver assembly disclosed in this Japanese patent, four individual die-cast aluminum square ceiling tiles are provided having a plurality of cell-like interconnected members. The alternate edges of the individual square tiles are provided with complementary overlapping configurations which may be interconnected by screw members. The larger composite tile assembly is supported at each junction of four adjacent tiles by means of a hanger comprised of a substantially square support plate underlying projecting corner tabs on each tile. Each support plate is provided with four upstanding flanges, each extending between adjacent ceiling tiles to hold the projecting corner tabs of each tile in superimposed relation on the support plate. The center of the support plate is provided with a threaded aperture and a threaded bolt is engaged therein which extends vertically upwardly for connection to a suitable support structure above the ceiling tiles from which the ceiling tiles will be suspended.
Due to the fact that the projecting tabs along each side of the ceiling tiles are designed to have an overlapping complementary configuration, the projecting tabs are relatively thin and are therefore readily broken in handling prior to assembly and during the assembly process due to the stresses imparted thereto by the threaded connecting member. Structural integrity of the joint condition is subject to failure. While the upwardly projecting flanges on the support plate located at the intersection of four tiles restrain the tiles from lateral movement relative to each other, there is nothing to prevent the tiles from being raised upwardly above the flanges. Furthermore, since a hanger is required at the intersection of each set of four tiles, an extremely large number of hangers will be required.